South Atlantic Treaty Organization
The South Atlantic Treaty Organization (Organización del Tratado del Atlántico Sur) is a military allience and free trade protection agreement formed between the federal Republic of Patagonia, the Mar del Plata Allied States (or Alliance), and the Republic of Buenos Aires, formed after the agreement on the Treaty of the South Atlantic, signed in Buenos Aires, in 15 NE, and in Puerto Carrera and again in Buenos Aires in 16 NE. It was the result of over a year of talks between the involved governments, starting during the negotiations prior to the signature of the Buenos Aires Peace Accords which ended the Rio Negro War between Patagonia, with her allies, and Neuqén, Córdoba and the Mapuche Confederation (Now Kingdom of Araucanía). The war evidenced the effects of the Patagonian Membership in the Coallition of Allied States, as a gate for a foreign intervention in the regional states. Buenos Aires showed an interest in keeping an international enforcing organization that was, on the contrary, managed from within. Background South America had been splitted for over a century, and small states had formed in the Southern Cone to fill the void. It was not strange that these states fought over time, most notably Buenos Aires and Córdoba, Salta and Antofagasta and the Aberolians against their neighbours. In Patagonia, the many states where outshadowed by the Federal Republic of West Patagonia, and in a matter of a decade, the country dominated the politics of the zone. In 10 NE, the so-called War Year included the West Patagonian Invation into the Eastern City States (mainly Puerto Madryn, Comodoro Rivadavia and Puerto San Julian), thus leading to the formation of the Eastern Protectorates. For three years, the West Patagonian State would face tensions and threats from these Protectorates Independence Movements, until the Protectorates where annexed in 13 NE, after a plebiscite. The Governent of Juan Martín Beckdorf lead a process of integration and union with the Eastern States, and other eastern regions were annexed as well, all under the flag of the Union. During this time, the Alterran Domination of the Southwestern Andes was declared over, and the territories were left to Patagonia. However, many of the cities in the region declared independence right away. The Patagonian Unification Wars lead to two years of bloodshed in the region, specially in La Serena and Araucanía. in the end, the Protectorate of Antofagasta was left independant, leading to the previous situation of the Northern Alliance War, and the region of Arauco was transformed into a Failed State that managed to form a Confederation in the wake of the Rio Negro War, both wars taking place in 14 NE. The end of the Rio Negro War was matched with the agreement on Human Rights for South America. The convention, signed in Buenos Aires, included several states of the Rio de la Plata Basin and states of the southwestern andes. With the forming of alliances all over the region, the three states of the south Atlantic, Buenos Aires, Patagonia and Mar del Plata (an alliance actually), considered the need to protect not only their interest, but also protecting the recently agreed texts. Structure The General Secretary Acting as an excutive body, the General Secretary office governs the Organization with a prior mandate from the Members Board. The General Secretary, appointed officer that leads the Organization, is able to engage in talks with foreign governments and sign contracts, however, to do so, it must have a Resolution aprooved by the Members Board that at least gives the Secretary the faculty to pursue a certain objective with a level of freedom. Optimal Resolutions will include the specific way to do it. However, the General Secretary has no military rank and is not involved in the Deployments themselves. Still, it takes part as a voting member in the designation of the highest ranked officer in joint operations. The Member Board It acts as the voting mechanism where all member states of the Organization are represented. Currently, the board is made by three states, however, Mar del Plata occupies two seats, since it is an alliance with one member, Bahía Blanca, recently involved in a war. This faculty of having a special member expires in 18 NE. At the same time, the Board will be integrated by the General Secretary when the Field General is elected for specific operations, as the Commander of the Deployed Forces (ComFuDes). The Member Board appoints the policies the Organization will follow, regarding defence, military deployment and free trade protection. Military Structure. The base of the Military Structure is formed by the all three Armed Forces of the Member States. That way, the so called "National Defense and Offense Body" (CuDONA) is the generic name for these Armed Forces, who act independantly, with the obligation of informing all other CuDONAs. Each CuDONAs is either allowed or forced (depending on the resolution in effect) to provide a fraction of its forces for a Military Joint Operation (OMC). The Joint Military Office (OCoMil) is the organism entitled with the task of coordinating the military in peace time, mainly for patrol or garrison deployments. It controls the Base Administration Secretary (SABASE) and the Border Patrol Operation Office (OFOPAT). It also has an internal organism called Office for Training Operations (OFOEN), entitled with the planning of the military training events, and also the coordination of rank of the staff. The OCoMil is also entitled with the upkeep of a Fast Deployment Group (GDRAP or G-DRAP), currently based on Comodoro Rivadavia. If a Resolution is passed, the OCoMil delegates all powers to the Allied Command Operations Office (OFOPAL). It si entitled with the full coordination of the defense and desployment overseas. The OFOPAL will be integrated by a member of the OCoMil. OFOPAL coordinates the strategy and doployment of forces, and acts as a full representative of the SATo to the Member States´ Congress in times of war. OFOPAL will outline a political strategy (previously outlined by the Board) and communicate it to the Field General of the Allied Forces. The Field General of the Allied Forces is a Supreme Commander appointed in Times of War (contrary to the President of the OCoMil, who must have a military rank and acts in times of peace), and will be trusted with the coordination of the troops in the global scenario. Any highest-ranked member of the CuDONAs is elegible. In both times of War and Peace, the Office of the Alliance Defense Preparation (OPAD) coordinates the strategy, planning, war scenario hypothesis and preparation of the military for a Time of War. The OPAD directs the Subsecretary of Regional Planification, which currently only includes the Sea Planification Board (MPM) and Land Planification Board (MPT). These work on plans for an eventual defense of the territory and the plans are presented to the OPAD, and through it to the Member Board. The OPAD also controls the Logistics Office (OL), which maintains the headquarters and offices and dependencies of the SATO, and the South Atlantic Training Group (GEAT). Deployments The SATO currently has bases in Puerto Carrera, Ushuaia, Rio Gallegos, Monte Urquiza, Comodoro Rivadavia, Cochamó, Peninsula Valdéz, Bahía Blanca, Mar del Plata, Azul and Puerto Mader (Buenos Aires). The bases are under the command of the SABASE. Military Power A combination of the three member states, the SATO is able to provide a wide array of answers to both internal and external threads, as well indirect and direct threads. Two of the three States have naval power. Buenos Aires has a large tradition in the field, but their gear is rather outnumbered in most scenarios, with only four destroyers, nine frigates and over two dozen lesser ships. Patagonia, on the other hand, has a young naval tradition but a deep sense of sea-dependence, and a large ammount of naval units, both local and imported (mainly from Tarakia). As for land forces, Patagonia holds the 59% of the land force potential on Earth (Talean and ARNG Holdings are not accounted), while Buenos Aires holds around a 34%. Mar del Plata has the remaining 17%. All three states have air forces, and the outdated Platinian Aircrafts will be replaced by BmKf46 series soon. Space Warfare is only of a full domain of Patagonia, although Buenos Aires has two space ships, CBA Patria and CBA Rosales.